Container



AF51 27, 1943- J. M. HQTHERSALL 2,317,381

CONTAINER Filed Oct. 6, 1939 INVEN Patented Apr. 27, 1943( CONTAINERJohn M. Hothersall, Brooklyn, 'N. Y., assigner to American Can Company,New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application october e,1939, serial No. 298,300

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to containers for the packaging anddelivery of liquids, such as milk, fruit juices or the like and hasparticular reference to sealing the closure of a sanitary librecontainer.

In certain respects, the invention constitutes an improvement upon thecontainer illustrated and described in my United States Patent2,085,979, issued July 6, 19'37, and is especially an improvement onfurther securing and sealing a top closure to make it tamper-proof.

The invention contemplates a liquid-proofed container which comprises atubular body substantially square in transverse section, having flat topand bottom end members secured to the body by interfolded marginalportions constituting end seam joints in which the parts are permanentlyunited by an interposed suitable liquidproof adhesive to. produce aleak-proof container.

An object of the invention is the provision of a tamper-proof librecontainer for liquids, such as milk wherein the top endmember, having adispensing opening, isprovided with a hinged plug closure which isclosed and secured at the dairy by a right angled metal band of U shapedcross section embracing the marginal flange of the hinged plug closuremember and the end seam joint of the container to prevent accidental 4opening of the closure or pilfering of .thecontainer contents withoutbeing detected by the ultimate consumer.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is. better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawing,-

Fig. 2 is also a view similar to Fig. 1 showing .a modiiied form ofsealing band; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantiallyalong a vertical plane indicated by lines 3 1 in Fig. 1, illustratingthe' container parts in their sealed position:

The container illustrated in the drawing ,shows preferred embodiments ofthe invention. The drawing shows a container of the general constructiondescribedin detail in my patent hereinbefore mentioned. The containergenerally comprises a substantially rectangular body Il closed at itsends with suitable top and bottom container contents.

closure members. lThese closure members are similar and for the purposeor this invention.

only the top closure member need be illustrated. The numeral i2designates such a top closure member. v

The container body Itis preferably formed from a single sheet ofliquid-proof brousmaterial folded at right angles'to provide four sidewalls designated by the numeral i3. The edges of the sheet are joined bya lap seam extending` same ilbrous material as the'body ofA thecontainer. Figure 3 of the drawing shows in detail how the top closuremember l2 is interlocked with the adjacent end or marginal portion ofythe body. For this purpose the body marginal end portions are bentinwardly at l5 and thence outwardly as at It thereby providing a seat orledge il which extends circumferentially of the body and. upon which theclosure member is supported. The extreme edges of the body marginalportions further are bent upwardly and thence inwardly from the outeredges'of the closure member to provide a spaced end nange portion I8v.which extends over the margins oi the closure member and seals it inplace. The bent or folded parts II, I. of the body adjacent its end andthe edges of the-top closure member I2 are permanently secured togetherwith a suitable liquidproof adhesive. This manner of constructionprovides a liquid tight end seam which is indi-l 'cated by numeral II inFig. 3 of the drawing.

The top closure member I2 is provided with a dispensing opening 2l (Fig.3) which is formed adjacent one corner. This opening is preferablyclosed with a hinge plug closure element 22 having a slightly taperedcup-shaped plug section 23. The hinge closure element 22 is secured tothev top end closure member I2 as by a wire staple arranged to permitthe plug closure to swing rearwardly to facilitate both subsequentoperations of niling and pouring or dispensing ofthe As in my formerpatented container, the instant container is also temporarily closed bythe Aplug section 23 of the hinge plug closure 22 being inserted intothe dispensing opening while the container is empty. This operation ispreferably performed in the container manufacturers plant so as toretain the containers in a sterile 'condition before and while beingshipped to the dairy or packersv plant for illling and final sealing.

In order to illl the container the plug section 23 of the hinged closureis swung open on its hinged connection or staple 24 to permit iillingthe container through the dispensing opening 2 II The lled container isthen finally closed by hinging downwardly and re-inserting the plug ofthe plug hinged closure into the dispensing opening. The shape of thedrawn plug may now be slightly altered by a suitable expanding tool toform a clrcumierental bead 2l. 'Ihis bead is pressed out of the plugsection directly beneath the under side of the end closure I2 ande'ectively seals and locks the filled container.

Thus far the container as describedis of the same constructionas'disclosed in my patent previously mentioned.

The filled and sealed container is now in a suitable condition forreceiving'the tamper-prooi' seal constituting the present improvementand particularly designed for the type of container described. Saidtamper-proof seal element, is

illustrated as a right angled band of U shaped cross section and isbroadly designated by the numeral 28. This band embraces the front endportion of the hinge plug closure element where the latter'extendsforwardly of the dispensing lopening 2| as a marginal vilange. Thisilange -rests upon the end seam or joint Il and is best illustrated inFig. 3 of the drawing. The band is further secured while in thisposition by a plurality of locking tongues 21 which are or may betriangular in shape, having twoadjoining sides cut from the metal bandtd form a tooth which is bent or struck inwardly and is imbedded in themarginal iiange oi the fibre hinge plug cl'osure element, thereby moresecurely locking the therefore does not extend beyond the two marginalflange edges ofthe hinge'plug closure 22 element. Such a band, however,also covers and of the drawing, that the metal band 26 securely retainsthe sealed hinge plug closure 22 ina tamper-proof condition and anypiliering of such a sealed container and anyattempt to remove the bandand open the closure will be-easily detected and-will anord visualevidence of such action.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood froml the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form,

construction and arrangement of the parts' withtages, the formhereinbefore described beinerv merely a preferred embodiment thereof. Iclaim: f

A tamper-proof fiber container for liquids,-

comprising a tubular fibre body of substantially square cross sectionhaving a fibre tcp end member adhesively secured to an end thereof in anoutwardly projecting seam joint overhanging the upper end of said body,a dispensing opening in said end member adjacent a corner thereof' and aclosure element hingedly secured to said end member for closing andsealing said opening, said closure element having' a forwardlyextendingmarginal flange overlying and secured to said end seam jointadjacent angularly extending portions of the latter, and a metallic sfsling band of substantial channel section and angulaa shape embracingand secured to the localized angularly extending portions only ofsaid'seam joint by means of spaced substantially parallel inwardlyprojecting portions of said band respectively engaging over the marginalilange of said closure element and beneath said overhanging seam joint,said sealing band'further including an integral inwardly struck tongueformed in the portion thereof engaging over the marginal ilange of saidclosure element and penetrating said flange in locking engagementtherewith. whereby to maintain said closure element JOHN MHOTHERSALL.

